Hamburger Institut für Sozialforschung /Hamburg Institute for Social Research

Invitation for Applications

Five Doctoral Scholarships and Two Postdoctoral Positions – Interdisciplinary Research Group on Statehood and Democracy The Hamburg Institute for Social Research (HIS) is about to establish an interdisciplinary research group on Statehood and Democracy and invites young scholars from disciplines such as sociology, political science, history, anthropology, economics, etc. to apply. Most welcome are historical, historical-sociological, or at least historically informed projects that focus preferably on the southern countries of Europe and

a) analyze the relationship between the state, society, and the economy with a special emphasis on the emergence and transformation of fiscal structures and/or

b) deal with the structure and the functioning of state administrations with respect to their legal, professional, infrastructural, and legitimizing aspects and/or

c) highlight the political and intellectual context of the transformation of statehood and

d) approach the questions addressed with a well-designed methodology and theoretical sensitivity in order to grasp the often tense relationship between the state and democracy.

We explicitly encourage applicants to submit project outlines which have been written specifically for this call for applications and thus may propose rather tentative hypotheses and arguments.Doctoral scholarships amount to 1,400 € per month (two years with the possibility of an extension for one or two more years); the salary for postdoctoral positions (three years with the possibility of an extension for two more years) ranges from 3,700 to 4,800 € per month before taxes (depending on experience).

Applicants interested in pursuing a doctorate must have completed their degree (Master, M.A. or the equivalent) with above-average marks; applicants for the postdoctoral positions must have completed their PhD.

Applications for admission to the research group independent of applying for a stipend or a postdoctoral position will also be considered. Guest researchers, who must be self-supporting, are welcome to stay for a period of up to one year.

The HIS seeks to increase the number of women in those areas where they are underrepresented and therefore explicitly encourages women to apply.

All application materials (a curriculum vitae; a statement of purpose of no more than three pages, which provides a clear picture of the applicant’s academic background and interests; an outline of the dissertation or postdoctoral project encompassing not more than six pages; copies of degrees earned; two recent letters of recommendation) , which can be written either in German or English, must be received online by 21 November 2015 at the following address and using either the keyword “dissertation” (applications for doctoral scholarships) or “postdoc” (applications for postdoctoral positions).

Applicants selected for an individual job interview will also be asked to attend an obligatory workshop. The interviews and workshop will take place on 2 and 3 March 2016 in Hamburg; please save these dates. The HIS will reimburse applicants for travel and accommodation expenses incurred.